Method and apparatus for conditioning carton blanks



Aug. 24, 1954 M. BURGER A 7,

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONDITIONING CARTON BLANKS Filed April 18, 19517 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS- jfiarzaz fizz/yer; smagyfhrkhafif Aug. 24,1954 BURGER ETAL 2,687,069

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONDITIONING CARTON BLANKS Filed April -18,1951 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 A r INVENTORS;

' v flariaz Biz/ga BYZergyIfar/zkaf/f' Aug. 24,- 1954 M. BURGER ETAL2,687,069

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR comrnoumc- CARTON BLANKS iled April 18, 1951 7Sheets-Sheet 3 Aug. 24, 1954 M. BURGER ETAL 2,637,069

METHOD 'AND APPARATUS FOR CONDITIONING CARTON BLANKS Filed April 18,1951 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 aa j i 1 Z7 gm ==m||n E 0mm gfig g:

. IN VEN TORS.

- K ,M WW

Aug. 24, 1954 I M, B R R ETAL 2,687,069

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONDITIONING CARTON BLANKs Filed A ril 18, 19517 Sheets-Sheet s INVENTORS- M. BURGER ET AL j 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 zzwzwromHark 25421961; avlerqyffarkfz'zzff @M Aug. 24, 1954 METHOD AND APPARATUSFOR CONDITIONING CARTON BLANKS Fil ed April 18, .1951

A g- 4, 1954 M. BURGER E L METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONDITIONING CARTONBLANKS Filed April 18, 1951 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 lilzunii w llutuuuil IN VENTORS 'iarzaz [Barge/t BYZ' ffiar/k/zwf f Patented Aug. 24, 1954 METHODAND APPARATUS FOR com)!- TIONING CARTON BLANKS Martin Burger and. Le RoyF. Carkhufi, Morris, Ill., assignors tog General Package Corporation, acorporation of Delaware Application Apri1 18, 1951, Serial No. 221,664

. '1 The present invention pertains to an improved method and apparatusfor producing partitioned cartons, involving the pre-treating orconditioning of flexible paperboard carton blanks as an incident in acontinuous manufacturing PrOceif dure which originates with the feedingof the blanks from a supply hopper and terminates: in

the discharge of cartons in completed, folded and ent. to Troyk No.1,783,397 ofDecember 2, 1930,

illustrates one form of such paperboard carton, and the present methodand apparatus have been devised for the express purpose of conditioningthe blank for a carton of this general type. I-lowever, other styles ofcollapsible paperboard, par- 1, tition type carton are also well knownin the art,

to the production of which the principles of the present invention arereadily applicable with only slight modification, to the end ofobtaining more expeditious,'.emcient and economical manufacture thereof.M

It has been necessary in the past, as aprelim inary to the loading of asupply of diedout, cut and creased blanks :in a standard foldin andgluing machineysuch as the'well knownStaude straight linegluer, topre-break, pre-bend and stripwthe blanks at the slittedportions thereof.The purpose is toinitially free portions of the blank, such as certainintegral, slit-defined and hinged cross partition elements, therebyenabling those-elements. to be swung successfully relative to theremainder of the blank during a later procedure of erecting the cartonfrom its completed but fiat, knock-down condition to a set up or erectedcondition. This pro-conditioning op eration ordinarily involvessubjecting a stack of the blanks of an over-all height of, say, sixinches, to a special press equipped with rare-breaking dies. Thediesengage the slit portions under heavy pressure and deflect all suchportions of the stack slightly out of their normal, coplanar relation totheir respective blanks; Thisis a slow, time consuming operation,requiring expensive equipment and the services. of attendantpersonnelwhowhave no other duties than that describedu 5 Claims. (01. 93-37)Another preliminary operation which is re: quired to be performed on theblanks is that of routing or stripping away. excess marginal scrapmaterial bordering the blank, it being understood that the blank ismarginally outlined by slitting a rectangular sheet of stock. Theslitting is, in all cases, ineffective to entirely separate the slittedportions which remain weakly connected by frictional interlock of fibersof the material. The routing operation is usually performed prior to thepre-bending operation described above and is done on a large stack ofthe blanks, of a height of about five feet. A special attendant uses aspecial, high speed, rotary implement of considerable weight and bulkwhich is equipped with a disk-like routing tool havin hardened teeth.This tool is run up and down to rout out the excess marginal scrap. Theoperation consumes approximately five minutes and is dangerous totheattendant, requiring the exercise of extreme care in manipulating therouter.

.It is seen from the foregoing that the conventional procedure forpreparing the blanks is time consuming, requires special personnel whohave no other duties, as well as expensive special equipment, andrepresents a loss of floor space in a plant, which is always at apremium.

It is therefore a general object of the invention to provide an improvedmethod and an apparatus whereby the above described conventionalpreliminary steps are eliminated by the use of equipment, built into agluing and folding apparatus which transforms the blanks to completedcare tons, the equipment acting on the blanks as they are fed fromamachine hopper.

Another general object is to provide, in equipment of the foregoingcharacter, a unit having parts which act, preferably simultaneously, asthe blanks pass therethrough to perform all of the necessarypre-breaking, pre-bending, routing and stripping operations thereon, theunit then forwarding the conditioned blanks continuously to folding andgluing instrumentalities acting to complete the construction of thecarton.

More specifically, it is an object to provide an apparatus or unitspecially adapted to operate, as an incident in the continuous foldingand gluing thereof, on paperboard carton blanks characterized bysuccessive panels which are arranged in transverse order with respect tothe path of travel of the blank through the apparatus and are providedwith shaped slits or cuts defining portions which are to be bent orentirely displaced relativeto the remainder of the blank;

which apparatus is provided with coaxial sets of male and female dies,preferably of rotary type, acting to pre-bend blank portions in one ormore .panels for subsequent facilitated manipulation thereof, and actingas well on other portion in another panel or panels to entirely strip orknock out the same.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a special improvedblank conditioning apparatus of the sort referred to above which isoperable on specifically different blank forms, for example, anon-divisible type and a divisible type devised for a carton which isadapted to be centrally subdivided into equal halves after erection, theapparatus having selective provision for adjusting certain rotary diesthereof with relation to the blank, and the dies having two or more setsof conditioning elements which differ in number and respectivedistribution about the die periphery, in a manner to enable properengagement of the respective sets with portions on each of therespective, specifically different types of carton blank which are to bepre-treated.

Yet another object is to provide an apparatus or unit of the sortreferred to which includes an improved set of scrap displacing andstripping dies featuring a die-engaging idler roller operative to effecta rapid and positive discharge to a remote location of scrap materialdisplaced from a blank by the dies.

In a broader sense, it is an object of the invention to provide animproved, unitary blank feeding, folding and gluing machinecharacterized by a built-in blank conditioning unit operating on blanksas they are forwarded in continuous series from the machine supplyhopper to and through the machine folding and gluing instrumentalitiesto condition said blanks, and thereby insure subsequent efficienterection of the knock-down produced by the machine by freeing certainpre-cut portions of the blank from one another.

The foregoing statements are indicative in a general way of the natureof the invention. Other and more specific objects will be apparent tothose skilled in the art upon a full understanding of the constructionand operation of the device.

A single embodiment of the invention is presented herein for purpose ofillustration, but the invention may be incorporated in other modifiedforms coming equally within the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary schematic view in side elevation showinggenerally the elements of a folding and gluing machine in asosciationwith a blank conditioning unit in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a view in longitudinal section through the blank conditioningunit of the assembly of Fig. 1; taken along line 2-2 of Fig. 3 andfurther illustrating that unit;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the conditionin unit, illustrating thespecific character and relationship of the various dies and associatedprovisions for operating on a forwardly traveling V blank;

Fig, 4 is a plan view of a typical egg carton blank which is to bepre-bent, stripped and otherwise conditioned and completed by theapparatus of the invention, the blank being hatched in one fashion inorder to indicate certain elements thereof which are to be strippedentirely away therefrom, and in other fashion to indicate other elementswhich are to be merely deflected or bent relative to the plane of theblank;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view showing a portion of an eggcarton in set-up condition, indicating generally the ultimatedisposition of portions of the blank of Fig. 4 which are pretreated bythe subject apparatus;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view in side elevation illustrating one set ofmale and female pre-bending dies which are components of the subjectapparatus;

Fig. 7 is a top plan view of the male die of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a top plan view of the female die of Fig. 6;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary, schematic view in perspective indicating thecharacter of the operations performed on successive advancing cartonblanks by the dies of Figs. 6, 7 and 8;

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary end view of a blank after being treated by theequipment shown in Figs. 6-9 inclusive;

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary schematic view in perspective, generallysimilar to Fig. 9, in like manner illustrating the operation on anotherpanel of the advancing blanks of a pair of further tab and flapdeflecting dies or rollers which are associated coaxially with thepre-bending dies of Figs. (3-8 inclusive;

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary edge view illustrating the operation on theblank of the members illustrated in Fig. 11;

Fig. 13 is a further fragmentary schematic View in perspective showingyet another set of stripping dies or rollers which are components of theconditioning unit, along with the pre-bending equipment referred toabove, for the purpose of removing certain scrap pieces from along anedge of the blank as other portions thereof are operated upon by theassociated instrumentalities;

Fig. 14 is a fragmentary view in side elevation showing still a furtherpair of material removing elements associated with the apparatus for thepurpose of operating on certain types of carton blanks havingintermediate window scrap and the like to be removed therefrom; and

Fig. 15 is a fragmentary plan view further illustrating the nature ofthe material ejecting die shown in Fig. 14.

The general character of the carton blank which is manipulated by thepresent apparatus, and the carton which is the product thereof, shouldbe understood in order to understand clearly the procedural step whichare performed by the improved method, and their purpose. Acccrdingly,attention is first directed to Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawings, whichillustrate, respectively, the blank and a section of the completedcarton in its erected condition. The blank if] chosen for purpose ofillustration is a sheet of flexible paperboard in generally rectangularoutline, and is intended for the manufacture of a divisible style eggcarton, i. e., one which is capable of being subdivided into twoidentical halves by rupturing the same transversely along a mediallydisposed, transversely extending, weakened or perforated line I I. Theblank i0 is symmetric about this medial line, but it is to be understoodthat the principles of the invention are equally applicable to thetreatment of a non-divisible carton. Such non-divisible carton may be aillustrated and described in the Troyk patent identified above, which ischaracterized by its cross partitions all being uniformly oriented inthe plane of the blank, or it may be a carton of generally similar type.Blank It! includes cross partition elements [2 defined by slitting whichare adapted to be swung, in erecting the finished carton, abouttransversely spaced and aligned shoulder hinges I 3, from a positioncorresponding to, the coplanar relative to the blank to averticalposition normal to the carton Walls, as illustrated in Fig. 5.In the clarify the details of the invention. Certain portions referredto are, as stated above, merely flexed by the apparatus about integralhinges to the remainderof the blank, displacing the same temporarilyfrom the plane of the latter, while others are wholly stripped out ofthematerial of the blank, having been completely outlined therein by dieslits, so that it i only necessary to free these portions of theslightfrictional restraining action of the fibers of the blank adjoining theslitted areas. To simplify the matter those portions which are to bemerely deflected or swung about pre-creased hinges, such as the shoulderhinges l3, for example, are shown in horizontal cross hatching in Fig.4. The portions which are to be stripped entirely away from the blankare shown for contrast in vertical cross hatching.

In the former group are the cross partitions l2 and certain locking tabsH5 carried by the cross the longitudinal partition and bottom formingmember of the carton, as shown in Fig. 5. Due to the divisible nature ofthe carton under consideration, two of the above type tabs, speciallydesignated l6, which lie closest to and on opposite sides of the medialperforated line H are ultimately swung in directions opposite from theother tabs It, as is evident from inspection of Fig. 5. i

Further flap members [9 which immediately adjoin the medialtransverseline II are alsoto be swung in opposite directions about integral,transversely extending, aligned creases 28 to a position in flushside-by-side engagement with the pair of cross partitions lying closestperforated line I I. It is evident that the last named partitions, whichare specially designated 12', are also swung in opposite directionsabout their own hinges [3". The present apparatus is designed to flexthese elements slightly relative to their respective hinges and out oftheir normal coplanar relation to the blank l0.

A central panel 2| of the blank, from which the bottom and longitudinalpartition I5 is formed, is also to be subjected to pre-bending orpre-breaking of certain of its hinged parts. These include sets oftrap-door flaps 22 laterally adjoining the slits which define the crosspartition receiving openings [4, and pairs of central lockingtabs 23which adjoin the apex of the inverted V, bottom, see Fig. 5. The flapsZZand tabs 23 are ultimately i In the interest of simplicity certain ofthe surrounding material of the blank. Inasmuch as the set .of lockingtabs on immediate opposite sides. of perforated line H are each to bedeflected in a direction opposite from the remaining corresponding tabson. the respective sidestof line l I,.they,are specially designated bythe reference numeral 23.

.,The portions of the illustrated blank I!) which are to be completelystripped away from the latter include the small, generally triangularareas 26 lying between the outer legportions of the opposite terminalcross partitions. l2, which are extremely diflicult ,to remove bymanual. routing without damaging the blank; a pair of small oblong,round-ended pieces 21 adjacent one side of bottom forming, panel '2l,which are removed in order to provide holes accommodating. certainelements of an automatic carton erecting machineythe small, arcuatepieces 28 on the. opposite'ends of the blank, also receiving parts ofthe erecting mechanism; the scrap window pieces 29. in a cover panel2il, which provide ornamental windows in certain perforated cover stylecartons; and the small, foot-shaped scrap pieces 3| on the extreme;right, margin of the blank, deflned by slittingof the blank. to providehook-like locking lugs 32 on the cover tuck flap 33 of the completedcarton. x i

The present apparatus eiiects pre-bendingand strippingoperations asdescribed above, as well related conditioning operations of otherspeciflc character which depend on specific structural details oftheparticular blank under consideration. These operations are performedautomatically and simultaneously during the course of travel of theblanks through the machine by the apparatus now to be described. 1

the operating features .of the apparatus which are concerned solely withparticular details of shape orposition of a portion of the carton blankmanipulated, and which differ from an illustrated and described featureor features solely in regard to those details, have been omitted fromthe drawing and description as being superfluous.

Fig. 1 schematically illustrates the general arrangement'of apreebending and stripping unit as a built-in componentof a standard,straight line gluing and folding machine in accordance with theinvention. The machine, generally designated 35, may be of the StaudeMaster gluentyp'e. It com rises a conventional supply hopper 36 fromwhich 'the blanks ii} are sequentia iy withdrawnby a. pair of positivelydriven eledltbll r their. Th w rmes edge se withdrawn carton is nextengaged by lugs 39 on apair ofconveyor chains 49. These are trained oversprockets on the shaft, 4| on which the feed rollers are mounted. Theblanks advance along horiaontal'guides #12, see Fig. 3 and arefrictionally engaged centrally and from beneath the same byanendlessdriven belt .93. The latter is trained about a pulley M on driven shaft4! and a small forward idler pulley d5. The belt insures that theindividual feed lugs. take proper positivedriving engagement with 7trailing edge of each blank, as illustrated clearly in Fig. 3.

The blanks are successively advanced by the feed chains 40 through acomposite pre-treating unit, generally designated 46, which is theparticular subject matter of the present invention. This unit ishereinafter described in detail. It is positively driven by meshinggears 41 on the vertically aligned, transversely extending shafts 43,49, of which the latter is equipped with a sprocket 50. A drive chainconnects sprocket 59 rearwardly with a further sprocket on driven shaft4|, as shown in Fig. 2. Emerging from the unit 46, the blanks continuetheir advance by lugs 39 into and through the remaininginstrumentalities of the gluing machine 3-5, which are generallydesignated 52 in Fig. 1. They comprise certain carton feeding, gluingand folding instrumentalities which are of entirely conventionalcharacter and, other than their positional association with the unit 46,constitute no part of the present invention. The same is true of theblank supply means 36.

Feed chains 40 are positively driven from sprockets fixed to a forwardshaft 53 which is connected to a source of power, for instance some partof the machine 35. A drive sprocket also secured to shaft 53 actuatespower chain 54 to drive lower shaft 49 of unit 46, and the upper shaftthereof is thus driven through gears 41. Power is transmitted fromdriven shaft 49 to the rear feed roll and belt shaft 4| through thechain 5! and associated sprockets.

Details of the conditioning or pre-bending and stripping unit 46, aswell a the respective operations which it performs on the blanks, arebest illustrated in Figs. 615, all considered in connection with Fig. 3.On the understanding that the unit 45 comprises several sets of male andfemale rotary bending and stripping dies mounted on and driven by shafts48, 49, the respective sets will be considered in the order of theirtransverse spacing along those shafts.

Referring to Figs. 6-10 inclusive, the first section of theunitcomprises an uper rotary male die '56 keyed to shaft 48, and itscoacting lower femaledie 51, keyed to shaft 49. These operate topre-bend the cross partitions l2, l2 about their shoulder hinges l3, 13,respectively, to prebend the locking tabs I5, l6 about their smallintegral hinges l8, and to pre-bend the medial flaps I9 about theirhinges '20. To this end, the male die 56 is provided with two identicalfull sets of inclined male die elements 58, each set in the illustratedembodiment occupying onehalf of the peripheral outline of the die. Thesets referred to are located one on either side of a theoreticaldiameter AOB, as illustrated in Fig. 6.

Of these sets, the component elements falling within the theoreticalsegment, CO--B, applied to .one set only in Fig. 6, are seen to bearranged in two groups which are oppositely inclined with respect to avertical diametrical plane through the axis of the die. Their functionis to operate upon a divisible style blank like that of Fig. 4, engagingthe two groups of oppositely bendable cross partitions l2, l2 which lieon opposite sides of the medial transverse line H of the blank, so as topre-bend the sets of shoulder hinges l3, I3 as the blank travels betweenthe male and female dies 55, 51.

The remaining three inclined die elements 58 of the set, which arelocated in the theoretical segment CO-A, have the same inclination,

with respect to the die periphery, as those arranged to immediatelyprecede them in the clockwise direction to the vertical diameterreferred to. These three die elements, together with those preceding thesame as aforesaid, constitute a group which are adapted to operate, in adifferent angular adjustment of the rotary dies, upon the crosspartitions of a non-divisible style carton, in which all of the crosspartitions are to be swung in like direction about their respectiveshoulder hinges 13. d

It is thus seen that the dies 56, 51, the latter of which has mating dieprovisions, to be described, coacting with the die elements 59, are soconstructed and arranged that the machine is. readily adjustable tohandle both the divisible and non-divisible style cartons, simply byadjusting the dies angularly with relation to their shafts 48, 49,thereby altering the relation of two groups of die elements, which aredifferent even though they have certain common components, to the cartonfeed lugs 39 of chain conveyor 49. It is for this reason thatposi'tive'feed provisions of this type are employed, i. e., to the endthat the cartons shall have absolutely uniform spacing and relationshipto one another as they are advanced through the various sets ofadjustable rotary dies of unit 46.

Referring to Figs. 6 and 7 it will be observed that small, plate-likebending fingers 68 are provided on opposite sides of the male die 56, infairly close relation to a vertical diametrical plane through the die asthe latteris positioned in those figures. Their function is to engagethe pair of locking tabs I6 which lie closest to the Vertical planereferred to and to pre-bend those tabs downwardly out of the plane oftheir associated cross partitions [2. This is in contrast to the upwardpre-bending of the remaining corresponding tabs l6, by the provisions tobe described.

Referring to Fig. '7, it is seen that the outline of the inclined dieelements 58 corresponds generally to that of the cross partitions l2,l2, except that portions of the elements are spaced somewhat more widelyfrom one another at the mutually in-turned portions 5| thereof than arethe legs of the carton portions. The purpose is to accommodate theenlarged central nose 62 of die elements 63 of female die 51 (see Fig.8). This nose engages with the tabs 16 to pre-bend the latter upwardlyout of the plane of their respective cross partitions, as describedabove. A nose is omitted from the two center abutments, since the tabdeflecting function at these points is performed by th male die bendingfingers 60.

The female die elements 63 include central portions which are inclinedcomplementarily to the inclination of the male die elements and haveblade-like side wing portions 64. The abutments and wing portions areshaped in outline, as illustrated in Fig. 8, to nest with the male dieabutments 58. Accordingly, the cross partitions [2, I2 are allpositively gripped and deflected about their hinges l3, l3 out of theplane of the blank as the latter advances, thus freeing their slittedmarginal edges. The tabs l6, 16' are deflected in like manner.

The female die 51 is also provided with a generally U-shaped plate 65,which is located on the vertical diametrical plane of the die when inthe position of Fig. 6. The laterally spaced, radially extending sidefingers 66 of this member engage the medial flaps [9 of the blank andprebreak the same upwardly about hinges 20.

Figs. 9 and illustrate the action of the coacting male and female dies56, 51, it being understood that these two dies are only effective onthe far portion of the advancing blanks, as viewed in Fig. 9, tomanipulate portions l2, l2, l6, l6 and 19 to the positions illustratedin Fig. 10. When the apparatus is operating upon the divisible styleblank the die 59 is positioned so that only those die elements 58 whichfall within the arc X of Fig. 6 come into play. Thedie 51 iscorrespondingly adjusted about its shaft 49. When the blank for anon-divisible style carton is being processed, dies 56, 51 are angularlyadjusted so that only the correspondingly inclined groups of elements,such asfall within the arc Y of Fig. 6, and a corresponding arc of thefemale die, are operative on the blank.

In order to greatly simplify and expedite changeover from the twomachine set-ups described above, the provisions illustrated in Fig. 6are employed, it being understood that corre sponding provisions areembodied in both of.

the male and female dies 56, 51. A special radially flanged hub member68 is employed which has two sets of tapped holes 69,10 in the radiallyextending flange ll thereof. The holes of the respective sets arearrangedv in different angular spacings, so that faulty mounting isimpossible. The die 56 itself is formed in two halves, each designated12, and each half has a pair of diametrically opposed bosses 13 whichare drilled for the reception of clamping bolts 14. One of the drilledholes is threaded to receive the bolt, so that the two halves of the diemay be drawn up tightly about the axial sleeve portion T5 of hub member68.

vsets being radially and angularly spaced in correspondence with thespacings of the respective sets of tapped holes through the mounting hubflange ll. These spacings are such that when the die members arepositioned and held in one relation to shaft 48 by bolts 16 male dieelements in the arc Y (and a corresponding group of female die elements)are operative on blanks advanced by feed chains 46. Adjusted in th otheroptional arrangement, the die members are located to present dieelements such as are found in arc X to the advancing blank. in Fig. 6two complete sets of die elements are provided on opposite sides of thetheoretical diametral line AOB, so that each rotation of the die resultsin prebending of two blanks.

The next set of dies, operating simultaneously with dies 56, 9i andsucceeding the latter in respect to their transverse arrangement alongshafts 48, 49, is a tab pre-bending set, shown in Fig. 11 andrepresented by an upper male die 18 and a lower female die 79. Theseoperate upon the trapdoor flaps 22 which adjoin the partition receivingopenings i l in bottom and longitudinal partition panel ii of Fig. 4,and also the tabs 23, 23' which are adapted to interlock with the crosspartition tabs l6, [6, respectively. The provisions on the dies l8, '19for this purpose are in the form of simple, radially extending blademembers. Die 18 has two annular series of peripherally spaced blades 89arranged therearound, which series are spaced transversely from oneanother. They are adapted to engage and deflect downwardly the bottomtrap-door flaps 22. Female die 19 has a generally similar annular seriesof blades 8| located in a longitudinal zone be- As illustrated tween thetwo sets of male blades 89. Blades 8| engage and upwardly pre-bend thepartition lock tabs 23, 23 of the longitudinal partition and bottomforming panel [5. Each die is peripherally relieved in the longitudinalzone opposed to the series of blares of the other. i i i The operationsperformed by dies '18, .19 are illustrated in Figs. 11 and 12 and arereadily understandable. It is to be understood that the respectiveseries of blades 89, 8! are laid out onthe respective male and femaledies l8, 19 in a twosetperipheral arrangement as discussed in connectionwith dies 56, 51, to the end that the apparatus isselectlvely operablewith equal eificiency on blanks of two different styles, exemplified bythe divisible and non-divisible types. Further detailed description andillustration of these provisions are believed to be superfluous, sincethe mechanical features duplicate those shown in Fi 6; i

Stripping or knocking out of excess materia from the blank, asdistinguished from pre-bending, is performed by the special die pairs ofunit 46 which are illustrated in Figs. 13, i l and 15. Considering theoperating assemblies, as previously, in the order of their transversespacing along shafts 48, 49, the unit shown in-Figs. Hand 15 is employedwhen it is desired to remove scrap pieces such as the small erectoraccommodating pieces 21, 28 of the blank and the window scrap pieces 29.Provisions for removing the marginal scrap pieces 3| are incorporated inthe dies illustrated in Fig. 13, and are to be described.

Male knock-out die 33 (Figs. 14, 15) comprises a series of appropriatelyshaped, block-like die elements 84 suitably carried by an arcuate plate65 or the like secured to the body of the die, the latter being fixed onshaft 48. The lower female die 85 comprises a continuous rotary bodymember having a continuous peripheral surfacing 81 of a suitableflexible or resilient material, such as cork. The engagement of dieelements 84 with a blank backed by die 89 is sufficient to excise anddischargepieces similar to pieces 21, 28 and 29. Since these dies actprimarily on a cover panel of the blank, which will be probablyunchanged in various styles of carton, provisions for selectiveadjustment of the dies on their shafts may be omitted, if desired. Aspointed out above the specific shape, number and arrangement of the dieelements 84 is capable of wide variation, and in some installations itmay be possible to eliminate the die couple 83, 84 entirely.

The remaining die assembly of the apparatus operates to strip anddischarge the small, footshaped pieces 3| from along the outer margin ofthe blank II]. It comprises an upper male die 89,

a lower female die 96 and a small, idler type scrap discharge roller 9i.The latter is rotatably mounted on a supporting arm 92 which ispivotally mounted on the apparatus at 93,. as shown schematically inFig. 13. "A spring 94 urges roller 91 upwardly against a laterallyextending rim 95 of substantial width on female die 99. This rim ismachined to provide female die openings 96 adjoining its outer edge,which openings correspond in shape and annular spacing with acorresponding set of male die elements 91 on die 89. Roller 9| inrolling along the interior surface of female die rim 95 is rotativelydriven solely by frictional engagement with that rim. Die elements 9'!enter the coacting female die openings 96 sufficiently to initiallydisplace the scrap pieces 3| from carton tuck flap 32 in a positivefashion, whereupon the discharge roller 9| frictionally engages anddischarges the scrap. The linear speed of the idler roll surface equalsthat of the inner rim surface, hence roller 9| operates at great angularvelocity to snatch and throw the pieces 3i downwardly and outwardly asillustrated in Fig. 13. A positive discharge of this type is desirableand feasible at an exterior zone of the apparatus, whereas it might notbe satisfactory in a more centrally located zone; hence the use of adifferent type die 83 (Figs. 14 and 15) in the latter'zone.

It is to be understood that, as in the case of other pairs of dies 56,51 and l8, 19, the die elements 97, 98, respectively, of dies 89 and 90will be laid out in sets, as described, and the dies will include meansto index the latter angularly a predetermined amount, so that one mayselectively adjust the dies in accordance with the particular type ofblank being operated on. The arrangement of the tuck flap locking hooks32 differs in the divisible and non-divisible style cartons. I

Upon leaving the unit 46 the blanks pass through the folding and gluinginstrumentalities 52 by which their manufacture to a completedknocked-down condition is effected.

We claim:

1. Apparatus for conditioning pre-slit blanks comprising means to engageand positively advance individual blanks longitudinally and a rotaryconditioning unit in the path of travel of said blanks, said unitcomprising a rotary male knock out die having male die elementsengageable With portions of the blank to strip the same entirely fromthe blank, a female knock out die having a marginally shaped annular dierim receiving said male die elements, and a scrap discharge roller ofrelatively small diameter arranged in internal rolling engagement withthe rim of said female die to snatch and discharge scrap punched throughthe latter by said male die.

2. Apparatus in accordance with claim 12 in which the die elements ofsaid male knock out die are arranged circumferentially in one or moresets, of which each set comprises groups of differently arrangedelements adapted to engage a blank difierently in accordance with theangular setting of the die relative to said blank advancing means.

3. Apparatus for conditioning pre-slit blanks comprising means to engageand positively advance individual blanks longitudinally and a rotaryconditioning unit in the path of travel of said blanks, said unitcomprising a driven shaft extending transversely of said path andprovided with a plurality of rotary dies secured to said shaft in spacedrelation along the same, said dies comprising a pre-bending die havingcircumferentially spaced die elements engageable with said 69 blanks tobendably deflect certain slit-defined portions thereof relative to theplane of the blank, and a rotary male knock out die having male dieelements engageable with other portions of the blank to strip the sameentirely from the blank, a female knock out die having a marginallyshaped annular die rim receiving said male die elements, and a scrapdischarge roller of relatively small diameter arranged in internalrolling engagement with the rim of said female die to snatch anddischarge scrap punched through the latter by said male die.

4. Apparatus for conditioning flat blanks each having hinged,unidirectionally swingable partition portions or blanks each having twosets of hinged, oppositely swingable partition portions arranged onopposite sides of a medial portion of the blank, said apparatuscomprising a rotary die, means positively feeding blanks inlongitudinal, predeterminedly spaced relation to said die, said diehaving deflecting elements spaced about the periphery thereof which areadapted to engage predetermined partition portions of a blank to shiftsaid portions out of the plane of the blank, the deflecting elementsbeing circumferentially arranged in successive different sets, one ofsaid sets comprising a series of circumferentially aligned deflectingelements on the periphery of the die which are oriented in one directionwith relation to the direction of rotation of said die and adapted tooperate on a blank of the first mentioned type, another of said setscomprising a series of deflecting elements oriented in a directionopposite to the direction of rotation of the die and in circumferentialalignment with and immediately adjacent to said first named set, saidoppositely oriented deflecting elements being adapted to cooperate witha series of deflecting elements of said first named set disposed on theopposite side of the medial line of said second named set of deflectingelements, said second named set of deflecting elements being adapted tooperate on a blank of the second mentioned type, and means permittingadjustment of said rotary die about the axis of the die to selectivelyposition said sets in predetermined relation to said positive feedmeans.

5. Apparatus in accordance with claim 4 in which said die adjustingmeans comprises means holding said respective first and second namedsets of deflecting elements for adjustment as a unit with the respectiveelements thereof in fixed relation to one another.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 948,710 Staude Feb. 8, 1910 1,924,160 Knowlton Aug. 29, 19331,987,224 Bergstein Jan. 8, 1935 2,351,670 Desch et al June 20, 19442,605,679 Welsh et a1 Aug. 5, 1952

